UNDER THE BANYAN TREE Jul-Dec 2015 | Page 56

EXPLORE TASTE REFLECT CREATE a Major. And though his performance at the recent Masters championship in Augusta suggests there is still life in this Tiger yet, he now has new challenges, and in December last year completed his first big golf course design project in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. His first course in the United States, Bluejack National, on the outskirts of Houston, Texas, is WA L K I N G scheduled to open in November T H E WA L K this year. And he is now expanding 1857 The first reference to his new venture into Asia, golfing shoes was made where he is able to command in The Golfer's Manual when players were an estimated US$17 million to advised to rough their redesign two courses in China: one soles with nails for grip. A dedicated golfing shoe: in Beijing, and one on the outskirts an Oxford with spikes of the capital. didn't appear until 1906. There is, of course, a certain irony to lucrative golf contracts being dished out in China. This, after all, is a country where golf was banned for many years, but now is hugely popular, with enthusiasm for the sport growing year on year as it becomes more accessible to all. In China, as in many other d ri v ing into space places around the world, golf 1971 operates on a huge scale. Although Holding the unofficial record for the longest there are no official figures, an drive in history, is Apollo estimated 80 million golfers 14 astronaut Alan Shepard who hit a ball worldwide play on close to 40,000 from the moon for a courses across the planet. Golf distance of about a mile (1.6 kilometres). Compare events are said to be worth close this to the longest drive to US$2 billion a year, and the golf on earth, a record that has been upheld for more tourism market tops more than than 40 years, achieved US$1 billion. by Mark Austin in 1974 by driving a ball 515 yards And there is no doubt that (480 metres). the balance of power is nudging East. It is not only in China where investment is pouring into the game, but throughout Asia, including Vietnam and Laos — of which more later. It is in the East where it is claimed golf was first given to the world. In China, to be precise. Well, in a round about way: chuiwan, a stick and ball game with similarities to golf was played in the country before the end of the first Millennium. The sport’s records then move to Europe where the Dutch played kolf in the 14th century, a game that involved hitting a ball against a post in the ground; and which ultimately evolved into the game of croquet. But ask any golfing historian about the origins of golf, and all fingers point towards Scotland; with a little help from their friends, in The Netherlands. The kolf craze was brought back home by Scottish merchants, and it was adopted as their own by making the target a hole in the ground. The rest, as they say, is history. But it was almost a very short history. In 1457, King James II declared golf illegal. He insisted that people should spend their spare time practicing their archery, just in case they needed those skills in the event of the country finding itself under sudden attack. Happily, G OL F I N G G R E AT S Some of the most memorable milestones from the game of kings laos cambodia Ho Chi Minh VIETNAM, THE GOLF COAST Coastline . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,218 kilometres Number of golf courses . . . 30+ Daylight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.17 hours average Golf cart hire . . . . . . . . . . . . US$35 a round B A N YA N T R E E lang c Ô , C E N T R A L VIETNAM Banyan Tree Lang Cô sits amid a 280-hectare resort of natural beauty. Aside from the resort's championship golf course, there are plenty of outdoor pursuits to enjoy. I love golf. But it rarely loves me. Golf is one of those frustrating pastimes that can as easily make you swagger along the fairway, basking in the glory of that crisp four-iron approach that dropped perfectly on the green; as it can reduce you to tears of frustration when you reach the green in two, but then seven putt. I have experienced both emotions. Many times. Alas, far more the latter than the former. Indeed, golf and I frequently question our relationship, and the continuation of it. But we quickly kiss and make up. Having been together now for more years than we care to remember, we are, frankly, far too comfortable with each other to go our separate ways. Like many enthusiastic golfers all over the world, I never give up the hope that the next 18 holes will be the round I have always played to perfection in my head. Nor do I ever stop believing that one day I will negotiate some of the world’s finest golf courses, of which there are plenty to choose from. But then, where golf is concerned, I always was a dreamer. U N D E R T H E B A N YA N T R E E 07/1 2 2015 A B O V E : The early morning mist rises above the fairways of Laguna Lang Cô A cooling sea breeze plays across the greens of t